Card cabinet



c. A. PHILLIPS Nov. 21, 1950 CARD CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1947 Fig.2

C. A. PHILLIPS Nov. 21, 1950 CARD CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheer 2 Filed July 5, 1947 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII II U4 n Q A m m m mm A 5 Th .1 v u m b Patented Nov. 21, 1950 CARD CABINET Chandler A. Phillips, San Mateo County, Calif., assignor to Shell Development Company, San Francisco, Galifl, a corporation of Delaware Application July 5, 1947, Serial No. 759,072

7 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for storing a plurality of cards, such as instruction charts for mechanics, and for displaying a selected card. More particularly, it relates to a card cabinet having a storage space for containing cards, and a movable closure adapted to hold a selected. card for display. 7

Cabinets of this type find many applications. They are, for example, used in shops and automotive service stations to hold a series of charts pertaining to different motor vehicles to be serviced. A drawback of the known devices of this type is that when the display frame is mounted at convenient height the opening of the covento the storage cabinet obstructs the view of the card on the display framea situation which arises frequently when a card other than that on the frame is to be inspected. Such cabinets are, moreover, frequently employed out of doors, being mounted at the top of a 11001 rack, and the cards contained therein are often damaged by moisture, unless elaborate watertight closures are used.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved card cabinet in which the card storage space is normally closed to protect its contents but is provided with a simple closure which can be easily and conveniently opened for access to the cards stored therein.

A further object is to provide a card cabinet having an improved and simplified closure which will prevent rain from entering the central part of the storage space, and having partitions for preventing such water as seeps into the end portions of the storage space from coming into contact with the cards.

A further object is to provide a card cabinet in which the closure of the storage space is adapted to hold or constitute the card display frame, i. e., to hold a selected card to be read, the closure being so arranged as to permit the selected card to be readily viewed regardless of whether the storage space is open or closed.

Still another object is to provide an improved card cabinet of the type described in which the cards may be stored on edge, the bottom being inclined upwardly towards the rear, whereby the margin of each card will protrude abovethat of the card immediately in front of it, permitting the cards to be identified more readily, in combination with an adjustable inclined follower for retaining the stack of cards in place.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a combination work desk, card storage compartment and card display frame, arranged to permit convenient viewing of any selected card on the display frame and access to the storage space without disturbing objects on the desk and Without obstructing the view of the selected card on the display frame.

Other objects will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the drawings forming a part of this specification and illustrating one embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of a cabinet constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view-taken on line 22 of Fig. l

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional views taken on lines 33, 44 and 5-5, respectively of Fig. 2; and I I Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation view of the top of the cabinet with the closure removed.

The improved cabinet according to the inven-. tion comprises, in general, a closed container forming a card storage compartment having its side and rear walls extending upwardly above 7 the top edge of the front wall, and upper edges of the side walls sloping upwardly towards the rear. The movable closure has a sliding contact with the rear wall and is pivotally connected at its bottom by means of rotatable arms permitting the bottom to be raised and moved towards the rear wall for opening the cabinet. The side walls are provided with false partitions providing a drainage space.

The embodiment illustrated in the drawing is constructed of sheet metal and is shown combined with a hinged writing desk. It is, of course, possible to construct the cabinet of other materials, such as wood, particularly ply-board, and to omit the desk.

Referring to the drawings, the cabinet comprises a front wall It, rear wall I I, and side walls I2, having a sloping bottom I3, joined together by welding th flanges shown. The front wall extends forwardly to form the bottom Illa of an auxiliary utility storage space having a front wall I4. The top of the wall It is bent inwardly to provide an inclined flange to which a hinge I5 is bolted. The hinge carries a stainless steel desk top It having a rim Ilia at the lower edge and flanges ltb at the sides extending externally of the side walls I2. The top rests on flanges I2b formed on the sides I2. The desk top may be lifted to gain access to the utility space.

The sloping bottom !3 of the card storage space forms a card shelf. It is of lesser width than the cabinet, providing open spaces at the bottom adjacent to the walls [2. It is provided with a series of slots I'I through wh ch the toe I8 of a metal card follower I9 may be inserted. The follower has a flange 20 disposed at right angles to the toe I8 and inclined approximately 225 to the fo lower I9, whereby the follower is supported forwardly of its center of gravity when vertical, causing it to fall toward the rear. The cards are stored in the space between the follower and the rear wall II, it being understood that the position of the follower may be adiusted in accordance w th the number of cards stored by inserting the toe I8 throu h the proper slot IT.

A partition 2! is attached to each side wall I2 inside of the card stora e space. These partitions form false walls for retaining the cards in the central portion of the cabinet. away from the walls I2, and preventing moisture which may drip along the wa ls I2 from com ng in contact with the cards. The lower edges of the partitions 2! are bent toward the walls I2 as shown at 2Ia to deflect water away from the cards. but these edges are spaced far enough from the walls to permit the drainage of water.

The rear wall II extends upwardly above the top of the front wall I9, as shown, the top being bent forwardly slightly at Ila. A notch 22 is provided at the top edge for receiving a sealing member in the closure, as will be described presently. The side wal s I2 are welded to the rear wall as shown in Fig. and have their forward edges bent nwardly to provide flan es I2'a.

The cabinet closure comprises a stainless steel plate 23 adapted to engage the inner faces of the flanges l2a when in its closed position, and provided with a flange 23a to conform to the inclination of the bent portion I Ia of the rear wall when in the closed position. The flange 23a forms a water shed. The weight of the closure. when closed, is carried by the flange 23a, and its lower part is urged forwardly against the flanges I211 by means of pivoted arms or bails 24. As shown, the two bails are constructed integral- 1y of circular rod hingedly secured to the bottom of the plate 23 by straps 25, and has its ends bent through 90 to provide parallel bail arms extending rearwardly. At their rearward ends the arms are bent inwardly to enter holes 2c in the down-turned portions 2Ib of the partitions 2!. A pencil tray 21 forming a trough is fixed to the plate 23 to en age the hinge I5 when in the closed position. The tray 21 is short enough to move between the flanges I2a when the closure is raised. When the closure is forward the ends of the pencil tray touch the tops of the part tions 2|, as shown in Fig. 3a. A finger lift 2% permits the plate to be raised. A transparent cover 29, which may be a sheet of glass or transparent plastic, is spaced from the plate 23 by means of spacer bars 3!) located at the side edges of the plate, and retained by flanges 23b of the plate 23. A space 3I is formed between the cover 29 and the plate 23 which, being open at the top, is adapted to receive a card for display. The card is retained at the sides by the spacer bars 3!! and at the bottom by the forwardly bent section of the plate 23. The closure plate 23, together with the spacer bars and transparent cover constitute the display frame. The center of the top edge of the plate 23 is notched at 230 to permit the card to be grasped for withdrawal.

This. notch is provided with a sealing number 32 in the form of a segment of tubing welded to the rear of the plate and to the front of the flange 23a to prevent water from entering the cabinet, and shaped to fit into the notch 22 in the rear wall.

To open the cabinet the closure is lifted by means of the finger lift 28, causing the plate 23 to slide along the inner surfaces of the flanges IZa. Continued lifting causes the bail arms 24 to pivot about the axis of the holes 26, moving the bottom of the closure against the rear Wall I I as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the holes 26 are positioned forwardly of the rear wall, whereby the bottom of the plate 23 is moved beyond top dead center during the opening movement, and the closure is supported in its raised position in stable equilibrium. The upper portion of the closure is prevented from falling forward'by the flanges I 2a.

When the cabinet is used out of doors rain water will drain down the front of the flanges I'2a and 23b and cover plate 29 into the pencil tray 21 and thence laterally to the spaces between the walls I2 and the partitions 2| without coming into contact with the cards. It will be noted from Fig. 3 that there is a space 33 between the pencil tray and the inwardly extending flange I 2b of the wall I2 permitting water to drain from the ends of the pencil tray. The deflectors 2 Ia cause the water to drip down away from cards through the space between the side walls I2 and the bottom I3.

I claim as my invention:

1. A cabinet comprising a rear wall extending above the front part of the cabinet, a movable closure inclined upwardly toward the rear when in its closed position and in slidable engagement with said rear wall, and an arm pivotally connected to the cabinet and to the closure and ar ranged to swing the lower portion of the closure upwardly and toward said. rear wall for moving said closure to its open position.

2. In combination with the cabinet according to claim 1, a flange on the closure extending over the top of the rear wall, whereby the weight of the closure is supported by the top of the rear wall when in its closed position.

3. The cabinet according to claim 1 wherein the arm is pivotally connected to the-cabinet at a point spaced'forwardly from said wall, whereby the said lower portion of the closure may be swung to a position of stable equilibrium between said point and the rear wall.

4. A cabinet comprising side walls and a rear wall, the top of the rear-wall being higher than the front of the cabinet and the top edges of the sidewalls being inclined upwardly toward the rear, inwardly extending flanges on said top edges of the side walls, a movable closure in engagement with the inner faces of said flanges when in its closed position, and an arm pivotally connected to the cabinet and to said closure and arranged to urge the lower portion of the closure against said flanges when inits closed position and to swing said lower portion upwardly and toward said rear wall for moving said closure to its open position.

5. A card cabinet comprising front, side and rear walls, the rear wall having a height greater than the front wall and the side walls sloping Icetween said front and rear walls, inwardly extending flanges on said side walls, a movable closure extending, when in its closed position, from said front wall to the top of the rear wall and in engagement with the inner faces of'said flanges, said closure being in slidable engagement with said rear wall and having a flange extending over the 5 top of the rear wall for supporting the closure and forming a water shed, one or more arms pivotally secured at one end thereof to the lower portion of the closure and at the other end thereof to the cabinet at a point spaced forwardly from said rear wall, the length of the arm being such 5 7. In combination with the cabinet accordin to claim 6, a floor spaced from said side walls.

CHANDLER A. PHILLIPS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS m Number Name Date 966,266 Sutherland Aug. 2, 1910 974,739 Becker Nov. 1, 1910 1,671,359 Feist May 29, 1928 2,125,122 Mongiello July 26, 1938 15 2,424,715 Shreve July 29, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 300,280 Germany Nov. 2, 1916 

